LAST year has been described as a “bumper 12 months” for an ICT (information and communication technology) firm in Blanchardstown, which celebrated its first full year in business with resounding success.

Agile Networks only started operations in November 2011 after completing a management buy-out of the Irish operations of international integrator, Telindus.

But the company, which designs, builds and supports complex IT networks, won a number of high value contracts during 2012, expanded staff numbers from six to ten and grew turnover past the e2 million mark.

The company topped off the year by winning an international prize in London and becoming the first Irish partner ever to win the ‘Juniper Partner of the Year’ Award for UK and Ireland.

Agile Networks, which is based in the Blanchardstown Corporate Park, also scooped the ‘Best New Business’ award from the Fingal Dublin Chamber in November.

The company began when its parent group, Telindus, planned to withdraw operations from Ireland and the core management team, led by Darragh Richardson, agreed a management buy-out similar to other deals struck by Telindus in countries such as Spain, Portugal, Germany and Italy.

The existing staff invested money into the new start-up, secured some external investors and also received grant-aid from Fingal County Enterprise Board.

Agile Networks, which is now partially owned by its employees under a shared ownership scheme, won a series of high value contracts in its first year of business, leading to e2.3 million in sales.

And the Blanchardstown-based business is planning to add another five IT jobs during 2013, bringing the workforce up to 15.

The company has already successfully tendered for a contract worth e130,000 through the Galway Vocational Education Committee (VEC), to provide a centralised wireless network to 12 schools to cover approximately 5,000 students and staff.

Under a separate educational contract with HEAnet, the company helped to connect over 200 post-primary schools around the country in 2012, under the Government’s School Broadband Scheme.

The schools are now connected to a new 100mb broadband network, which is delivering high-speed broadband to more than 100,000 students.

The company signed further contracts with Digiweb, Three and Magnet Networks, with deals also in place with Abbott Laboratories, GE, the HSE and ESB.

Speaking about the company’s first year in business, Darragh Richardson, the Managing Director of Agile Networks, said: “With significant contract wins under our belts and our planned expansion next year, there are lots of very good reasons to be optimistic about the future.

“In our first year of business, we have been able to secure some really important customers and this lays a strong foundation for our growth in 2013.

“We believe this success is based on three key elements which have allowed us win market share – our people, our technical portfolio, and our operational model.

“We have strived from the beginning to be disruptive in the marketplace and as our name suggests, to be agile is the key ingredient in today’s demanding business environment.”

The IT firm was also the first company in Ireland to be awarded the ‘Juniper Elite Portfolio Partner’ and is the largest Cisco Premier Partner in Ireland. The company has recently re-launched its website at www.agilenetworks.ie.